born

Born is the past participle of the verb bear in English and is used in the expression to be born to indicate the event of coming into life. It can also function as an adjective meaning “having been born” or “innate,” as in a born storyteller or a natural-born leader.

The term derives from Old English and Proto-Germanic roots related to bearing or birth. In modern English, born is the form used with forms of be for birth events, while borne is used in senses of carrying or enduring. In German, the analogous concept is geboren; the surname Born and various place-names occur in German-speaking regions, reflecting historic toponymic origins.

As a surname, Born appears across German-speaking areas and in the diaspora. Notable individuals include Max Born (1882–1970), a German physicist who helped establish quantum theory and the probabilistic interpretation of the wavefunction; the Born rule, named after him, states that the probability of measurement outcomes is given by the square of the amplitude.

The word’s use as a proper noun is also linked to geography, with towns and municipalities named Born in parts of Europe. These toponyms often reflect historical associations with birth, springs, or other local features, depending on the region and language.

In summary, Born functions as a grammatical form in English, a surname and toponym in German-speaking areas, and a term of historical and scientific significance through Max Born and the Born rule.